This is a city with a real buzz, a buzz
of about 20 million people and a city full of things to do, not the
least of which to do is shop.
“Shopping in Shanghai” has two extremes,
the ultra luxury western shops where you will find the season’s
most coveted pieces and the designer handbag without the waiting
list. If you opt for this shopping experience be prepared to pay
a 30 percent premium for the availability. Plaza 66 houses
all these shops, Gucci, Prada, Hermes, and others.
The other end of the shopping experience is a bit more difficult
to decipher--- it just requires some tenacity and determination.
The good news is that taxis are very cheap and since the city is
so large and dispersed you will want to take advantage of the cheap
taxi! The silk fabrics are plentiful and can be beautifully worked
into Chinese inspired designs with a modern sensibility. At Feel, the
clothes are made custom and are delivered to your hotel within 24
hours. I selected a beautiful silk damask lotus impression qipao
with gold piping, a black and gold silk fur trimmed qipao, a black
silk floral print swing jacket, and an acid green silk evening pant
with a matching tunic, all of this for less than US $500. To visualize
these designs, think back to YSL a few seasons ago
when Tom Ford did a Chinese inspired collection.
Around the corner from this shop is Sunlight Garment Co.,
for beautiful silk scarves, many of which are made for the top designers.
The prints are beautiful and the beadwork is exceptional for an exceptionally
low price, about US $60 for the most elaborate design. Silk pajamas
with jade buttons from, Shanghai Lee, are exquisite
at US $80. Xavier is filled with unusual Australian
designs, my favorites were the large silk scarves with beautiful
Chinese inspired motifs and handbags made of pearls and silk.
Layefe is filled with unique home furnishings and modern
Chinese designed clothing.
The art scene in Shanghai is another place the ancient and the modern
converge; this convergence is perfected in the work of Mi Qiu. Mi
Qiu is a world renowned artist who has renovated 24 historical sites
worldwide, he is able to combine the totality of the Chinese art scene,
utilizing an understanding of traditional Chinese art and an understanding
of western modernism to produce beautiful modern Chinese art. Mi Qiu
has received numerous awards for his work, including the Movado
Outstanding Contribution to Art Award and the Grand
Prize of Golden Society. He is known as one of China’s
ten most avant garde artists and at the same time he is able produce
work that protects China’s ancient cultural heritage in the face
of rapid urban development.
Shanghai is full of wonderful dining experiences. The Bund, on
Shanghai’s waterfront, is known for its outstanding neoclassical
architecture from its pre 1949 times. On The Bund there
are some of the best restaurants and shops; it is my favorite place to
experience the merging of the old and new Shanghai. The Cupola at Three
on the Bund is a two-tiered dome atop a 1916 German Bank building,
the lower dome seats 8 to 10 people and the upper dome seats only two
people. The upper dome is probably the most romantic dining spot in the
world and it comes with a private butler, who anticipates your every
need before you can even ask. There are two terraces off this room that
look out over the city and make you feel like you are part of Shanghai
1930, but better because it is Shanghai 2005 and even more alive and
exciting. I had not only a great dining experience, but also a great
shopping moment! I stopped by at the store on the ground floor of the
building, Three Fashion Store, before going to dinner
and found some wonderful must have fashions. While dining the shop tailored
my selections and delivered them to The Cupola, at my
request they brought a few other items for me to select from: “shopping
heaven”! This was my favorite shop; there are designs for both
men and women. The design of Three Fashion Store is
special; it is in a neoclassical building but with a very modern interior.
The dressing rooms are wicker cocoons that close over to look like an
egg, and provide you with total privacy in the middle of the store. Three
Fashion Store had the most beautiful collection of Vivienne
Tam I have ever seen, slacks trimmed with jade, elaborate quilting
and silver trimmings on coats. A Vivienne Tam boutique
is opening this year in the French Concession in Shanghai;
I can only imagine what she will do for her return to the home of her
ancestors! M on The Bund, is another fantastic restaurant,
it is on the rooftop of the 1920’s Nissin Shipping Building providing
360-degree views of Shanghai. The cuisine is Mediterranean and Middle
Eastern influenced. T8 is a good choice for modern Thai
and Chinese cuisine; the restaurant occupies an old stone gatehouse in Xintiandi, the
French Concession. The Xintiandi is a good spot to shop and eat! For
a more traditional Chinese dining experience try My Chinese Uncle and The
Jade Buddha Temple. At the Jade Buddha Temple I enjoyed the
most beautiful and delicious vegetarian food for both taste and presentation,
lunch for four was about US $30.
A special treat was The Miuccia Prada: Art and Creativity Exhibit
at The Peace Hotel. The exhibit pays homage to the skirt and
takes over several suites in the legendary hotel. The skirt is put
into motion in several unique displays and made to feel like a character
in a movie set. The skirts are from Prada’s collections
dating back to 1988. This is a touring exhibit, after its stop in Shanghai
it will travel to other major cities in Europe and the U.S. Anyone
who appreciates the movement in clothes or just loves clothes should
keep on the lookout for this exhibit. These are just a few highlights
of an ever changing city, the change is everyday and so one cannot
get enough in just one visit. I stayed at the Four Seasons
Hotel in downtown Puxi, just steps fro Nanjing Road, the busiest
shopping street in Shanghai. The spa and the beauty salon were two
good reasons to stay at this hotel not to mention the very spacious
bathrooms and closets. Other spots not to be missed are the Yu
Garden, Nan jing Lu and the Shanghai Museum.
layefe HOME
12 North Block, Xintiandi Plaza,
181 Lane, Tai Cang Road,
Lu Wan District
Tel: 63260716